Engine starter



Nw.- 29, w27. 1,650,619

` M. P. FERGusoN ENGINE STARTER Filed Nov. 15. 1923 ili Z3 5 ation of the drive. y

sented Nev. 29, 1927.

ITED" STATES conm r. EEneUsoN, or ELMIM HEIGHTS, NEW YonmAssIoNoa 'ro ECLIPSE MA'- CENE COMPANY, F ELMIRA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

i ENGINE STARTER. Application led November 15, 1923. Serial No. 874,898.

My invention relates to engine 'starters for the starting of an engine such as an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to that part of such a system known as the ydrive on transmission which transmitsthe power of a prime mover such as an electric motor to a member of the engine tobe started.y

spring'pressure and the object of my invention is'to provide for the pinion a pressure aorded by a novel construction and arrangement of a spring so that the spring pressure shall be variable according tol the diderent positions of the pinion inthe diiferent phases of operation in the cycle of operin the drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation ofa starting system embodying my invention illustrating the relative position of the parts in disengaged position by full lines and cranking or engaged position by dotted lines; Fig. 2 ade'tail 4sectional elevation simi-l lar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the catch device in section and/in inoperative position; Fig. 3 a view similar to Fi 2 but with the pinion demeshed and caug t by said device; and lFig. 4 a section on the line 4-4 of Fig.` 1.

For the sake of a clear and definite de- Y ner to the motor frame. A'hollow shaft'orV sleeve 5 is mounted upon thedriving or armature shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith through the medium of longitu 1:1. splines 5 on the armature shaft which are engaged bythe spllned bore of the hollow shaft.

lThis latter shaft is provided with screw With this groove there cooperates a roller 60 of the shifting means which/may be of any suitable character, but which as shown 1s a lever 11 pivoted at 12 in the casing 4 :find actuated by the operator by hand or oot. l

. The driving member is here in the form of the pinion 13 which is threaded upon the screw shaft for longitudinal movement thereof intoenga ement with the teeth of the flywheel 14 an for rotary movement with such screw shaft. This pinion is normally held spring pressed against a sto nut 15 at the outer end of the screw sha t.` The spring means for this purpose, now about to be described,.cooperates with thepinion and in the present instance is in contact therewith and the same also serves to return the pinion to normal position against the stop nut after being automatically demeshed from the iiywheel. 'lhe object of my invention is to provide a novel and eiiicient spring means which shall perform these functions and at the same time not interfere with the freedom of movement of the pinion during its demeshing operation.

To this end, I provide a spiral spring 16 of suitable tension and length and interpose itv between the inwardly projecting annular rib or abutment 17 in the casing 4 and the pinion 13, Vthere preferably being a spring abutment or plate 18 carried by the pinion to receive the outer end of this spring.

My drive also includes means for catching and holding the pinion in retracted position on the screw shaft after being demeshed from the ywheel, thereby reventing the pinion from contacting the ywheel in case the screw shaft should be left in shifted ositi'onafter the engine has been started. uch means, which are sho in Figs. 2, and 3, ceznprisea latch i9 pivoted in a longitudinal slot 2,0 in the screw shaft and adapted to engage a notch 21 in the bore of the pinion. ormally the outer end of the latch lies in a groove between two of the splines 6 of the armature shaft and the inner end bears .:gainst the periphery of such armature shaft. \\"hen the screw shaft is shifted to the left the inner end of the latch will ride down the slope 22 at the inner end of such groove by reason of the pressure of the spring 23 located within the drum'24, with the result that the outer end of the latch will be moved radially to operative position to engage the notch 21 when the pinion is within the range of the latch. Upon demeshing, the pin1on .noves longitudinally inwardly on the screw shaft and is caught by the latch as shown in Fig. 3, and thereby prevented from returning to normal position until the latch is actuated to release it in the manner hereinafter ex lained.

Ihe size and len th of the spring 16 are such that when the drive is in the normal position shown in full linesin Fig. 1, the spring is under some compression and holds the pinion in normal position against its stop nut 15. However, when the drive assembly is shifted longitudinally to the left with the inion in mesh with the flywheel as shown in dotted lines, the spring will expand to its ull extent and the same contacts with the pinion with practically no pressure. Consequently when the pinion is demeshed in the well known automatic manner, there is com paratively little resistance to its demeshing .movement When the pinion, in such demeshing movement, comes within the range of the latch it is caught and retained thereby as shown in Fig. 3. At this time the spring 16 is compressed to its maximum and exerts its full pressure upon the pinion.

` lVhen the screw sleeve is returned to normal position the latch is operated and the pinion 1s released in the manner above explained, and the spring is permitted to exert such maximum pressure upon the pinion to forcibly return it to its normal position against the stop nut, the lead of the screw threads being such as to permit of this return.

I do not herein broadly claim the construction and the arrangement of the drive including the longitudinally shiftable sleeve or drivin member or pinion thereon and the catch device for holding the pinion in demeshed position while the screw shaft or sleeve is still shifted to cranking position as the same represent subject matter of prior applications filed by William L. McGrath including an application filed by him on January 4, 1923, Serial No; 610,672, the present application being directed to the particular invention pointed out in the claims herein.

I claim:

1. An engine starter drive including a rotatable longitudinally movable shaft, a driving melnber mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement therewith and thereon, and a spring mounted independently of the drive and arranged in the path of longitudinal movement of the driving member to hold it in normal position and to return it to that position after such driving member has compressed it in the longitudinal disengaging movement of the driving member on the shaft.

2. An engine starter drive including a rotatable longitudinally movable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement therewith and thereon, and a spring mounted independently of the drive and arranged in the path of longitudinal movement of the driving member to hold it in normal position and to return it to that position after such driving member has compressed it in the longitudinal disengaging movement of the driving member on the shaft, said spring having one end free and dapted to be contacted by the driving mem- 3. An engine starter drive including a 1ongitudinally movable rotatable shaft, a drivmg member mounted thereonY for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement therewith and thereon, and a spring mounted independently of the drive and arranged in the path of longitudinal movement of the driving member to hold it in normal position and to return it to that position after such drivin member has compressed it in the longitu inal movement of the driving member on the shaft, said sprin being a spiral spring with its smaller end free and adapted to be contacted by the driving member.

4. An engine starter drive including a longitudinally movable rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement therewith, a casing surrounding the drive and having an interior circular rib, and a spiral spring whose larger end abuts the rib and whose smaller end is arranged in he path of movement of the driving memi 5. An engine starter drive including a longitudinally movable shaft with long lead screw threads, a pinion threaded thereon for rotary movement therewith yand for lon itudinal movement therewith, a stop on t e shaft, and a spring mounted independently of the drive and arranged in the path of longitudinal movement of the pinion to hold it in normal position against the stop and to return it to that position after such drivin member has compressed it in the lon 'tudinal disengaging movement of the riving nember on the shaft.

6. An engine starter drive including a rotatable driving shaft, vnv sleeve mounted to longitudinal movement of the driving mem-i slide longitudinally thereon and to be driven ber to hold it in normal position and to rethereby, a driving member mounted on the turn it to that position after such driving 10 sleeve for rotary movement therewith and member has compressed it inthe longitudior longitudinal movement therewith and nul disengaging movement of the drivin thereon and a spring mounted independently member on the shaft.

of the drive and arranged in the path of MALCOLM P. FERGUSON. 

